I Can't Make You Love Me
by KikiLahote
Summary: Edward has been gone for months and despite his nightly presence in her bed, Bella barely knows Jake exists. One shot songfic.


**A/N One Shot Songfic inspired by the song I Can't Make You Love Me by Tank**

The sun was setting over the ocean as Jake made his last round of patrols. A year ago he would have stopped and watched from these cliffs as the sky's pinks and blues faded into darkness. A year ago he would have cared, a year ago he would have had time to do such things. Now, he couldn't imagine what he did with all that free time. Between caring for his wheel chair-bound father, his patrol duties, general pack requirements, and having to watch over Bella to be sure a rogue vamp didn't get her or (even more likely) that she didn't do herself in, he no longer had time to linger on cliff-sides and watch sunsets.

As he rounded the last curve before the beach ended Embry dove out of the trees and took off on the patrol path with a yip. Jake took a sharp left into the woods and headed East toward Forks.

It was cool of Sam to be so accommodating of Jake's need to be at Bella's every night. At first he thought it was a great idea. The red-headed vampire that was after Bella seemed to be avoiding conflict, so Sam felt comfortable pulling patrols back from Forks any time he was there. It saved the rest of the pack a lot of work for him to just sleep there. Other than the red-head there hasn't been any other activity anywhere in the area since the Cullen's left. Now that there haven't been any signs of her anywhere for months on end, Sam had pulled all patrols back to La Push only. They no longer felt they needed Jake to spend the night at Bella's every night. Bella still did, though.

Almost six months have passed since Edward left. He'd been true to his word and there hasn't even been a faint hint of him on the wind. He was gone forever and had taken everything that was good about Bella with him.

When he reached the woods behind her house he howled, phased and by the time he was dressed Bella had her window open.

She was inside finishing up her homework while she waited for him. He sat in the rocking chair by the window and watched her work at her desk with her back to him.

The past six months have been pretty much like this. Jake waits while Bella finishes homework or a book she's reading. When she's ready, he climbs into bed, she turns out the light and curls up beside him. She never touches him too much and the conversation is always minimal. Jake always has plenty to say, but all Bella does is go through the motions. All her spare time is spent staring out her bedroom window. With a life like that, she can't have much to talk about and when he tries to talk to her about his life, she's too absorbed in her suffering to carry on a decent conversation.

After a few months he stopped trying and thought she'd come out of it on her own. When she didn't he just gave up on conversation all together.

Bella finished her homework and stood up from her desk. Jake met her for a hug and then went to the bed. He folded the covers on his side over to hers so she had double covers. Even with his extra heat beside her, she still struggled to stay warm. She's always been small, but she never had this much trouble staying warm before.

Jake laid down on the bed and turned onto his side facing her. She turned out the light and crawled under the covers, laid on her back and scooted in close enough to feel the heat coming off Jake's body. Normally, Jake would say goodnight, then lie siletnly beside her and let her drift off to sleep. Tonight he was tired of their same old routine. He was tired of always being there and never being enough. Before she slept tonight she'd know how he felt.

"Bella?"

"Yeah, Jake?" She turned her face to him. She could probably only see his form, but he could see her every feature perfectly.

"How are you feeling?"

"OK." In that tone he knew it meant "exactly the same."

"Do you think you're getting better?"

She thought for a minute. "I don't know. Maybe a little, but I always feel better when I'm with you."

"But you don't feel better overall?"

"I guess not."

"It's been almost six months, Bella. Do you think you'll ever get better?"

She was shocked to hear such forward words from Jake, but he had no remorse. He's been here for her for so long now. He deserved some answers.

"I don't know, Jake. I don't know how I could unless-"

"-unless he came back." He finished for her.

She quietly agreed.

"Bella, do you know that I love you?" He was tired of beating around the bush.

"Of course, Jake. And you know that I love you. I don't know what I'd do without you," The way this conversation was going she may soon find out.

"Bella, do you know I"m in love with you?"

A long pause. "Jake..."

He turned onto his back and rubbed his face with both hands. "Yeah. I guess it's pretty obvious. Why else would any man come here night after night for months and lay beside you and listen while you cried yourself insane over some other guy."

"Jake, I'm sorry. I just... I gave him everything and when he left he took it all with him. I just have nothing left to give." She placed her face in her hands and began softly sobbing.

"Hey, hey." He turned toward her again and took her into his arms. "Bella, don't cry. It's OK, don't worry about me. I'm fine. You'll be fine, too. Shh shh shh." He held her close and stroked her hair as she sobbed into his chest. Slowly, her sobs slowed, then her breathing slowed and she was asleep.

Jake held her close all night, feeling her body against his, touching her soft skin and breathing in her scent. Sometime after midnight he knew that this would be their last night together.

When the first pink rays of light shone on Bella's curtain he slowly separated himself from her, wrapped her tight in her covers and stood at the end of her bed. He whispered a soft, "Goodbye, Bella," and left, as he always did, the way he came in.

Instead of phasing, Jake walked home in human form. He needed time to think.

This morning Bella would wake up cold and alone. She may wonder where he'd gone, but he didn't care. He was tired, it was time to give up this fight.

After his patrol tonight he'd hit the bar with Paul instead of running to a girl who cried into his Valentine's Day roses because they weren't from a vampire. Maybe somewhere out there he had an imprint waiting to be found. It would be nice to be loved in return.


End file.
